Donna Trope Novels & Stories

"Consigliere, I want a divorce from Cassius. I’m handing back all the businesses under my name. Draft up the papers." The old Consigliere frowned. "Camilla, this marriage keeps the peace between our two families. Can you think this over?" I was the frontwoman for Cassius Marino’s dirty empire for three years. In the shadows, I was this cold-blooded Don's legal wife. A month ago, a Mexican cartel kidnapped me. That night, the cartels blew up my husband's secure line, demanding a thirty-million-dollar ransom. He let it ring. They ended up throwing me into an abandoned meat locker in freezing temperatures. I almost froze to death. Luckily, a butcher stumbled in and dragged me out just in time.

"Please! Please, I’m sorry I betrayed you, Don! It wasn’t intentional!" I chuckled softly, amused by his pathetic attempts at redemption. Unintentional? Was that his excuse? My gaze remained on the apple as I asked, my tone calm, almost curious, "Unintentional, you say?" He stammered, but I didn’t need his explanation. I already knew the truth. His hands didn’t "accidentally" steal an entire shipment of guns. I set the apple down, finally meeting his terrified eyes. The fear in them was satisfying—a reminder that betrayal in my world came with a steep price.